Married to the Presidency
by Alison May
Summary: Years after Bartlett leaves office Sam is the democratic nominee for President and Donna is in Congress. Sam comes to Donna with an interesting political proposal.
1. Default Chapter

This idea just popped into my mind the other day and I couldn't get it out again. I'm normally a Josh and Donna kind of girl but I couldn't get this out of my head. There will be elements of both Josh/Donna and Sam/Donna later in the story.  
  
It takes place about 7 years after Bartlet leaves office and the rest will explain itself later in the story.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, just borrowing   
  
Donnatella Moss sat alone in her large D.C. apartment drinking wine, eating Chinese takeout and reading the New York Times. She had turned off her cell phone and even taken drastic measures and unplugged her house phone from the wall. Her busy schedule as Congresswoman from Wisconsin afforded her little private time so she had stolen a little this evening. So Donna was slightly miffed when her buzzer rang announcing a guest. Donna flung open her door, ready to reprimand whoever was on the other side only to be pleasantly surprised.  
"Sam Seaborn!" she exclaimed happily pulling him into her apartment and into a hug.  
"How did you get in?" she questioned cheekily as she pulled away.  
"Well when your doorman exclaimed 'Mr. Seaborn, I'll be voting you for President in November' I was pretty sure I wouldn't have to ask permission to come in." Sam explained smiling down at Donna.  
"You've been in town for a few days. Why didn't you call?" she questioned and then continued without waiting for an answer. "You know I still can't believe it. It feels like yesterday that you were Bartlet's speech writer and Haffley was Speaker of the House and now you're running against each other for president." Donna finished as she pulled Sam into her living room and seated herself next to him on the couch, Chinese food all but forgotten. Donna and Sam had kept in touch over the years as her was now a Senator and she was a Representative and she was thrilled to see him, all thoughts of a solitary night leaving.  
"You look fantastic." Sam told her, smiling.  
"Not so bad yourself, Mr. Democratic Candidate for President." Donna teased.  
"Why thank you, Congresswoman." Sam answered playfully before suddenly turning serious  
"So I guess I should get to the reason I'm here." Sam announced, his good humor turning to a more staid expression. Donna nodded encouragingly so Sam continued.  
"This might be the craziest thing I've done in a very long time, but Donntella Moss, will you marry me?" Sam questioned smoothly sliding off of the couch onto one knee in front of Donna.  
"What?!" Donna yelped, shooting off the couch so quickly that she almost knocked Sam over.  
"No, think about it for a moment, I promise it makes sense." Sam cajoled as he stood to face her.  
"It won't make sense until I've had about another bottle of this." Donna said pointing to the wine at her table and crossed to get her glass. She offered Sam some but he shook his head no. She walked back over to the couch and reseated herself.  
"OK, explain." She ordered.  
"So I'm single and your single and..." he started.  
"Ding ding ding wrong answer." She cut him off. "Try again."  
"So Toby had this idea."  
"Getting warmer." Donna interrupted.  
"So besides being the youngest presidential candidate in quite a while I'm also very unmarried which Toby seems to think will really hurt my chances, since Haffley is quite happily married. And polls seem to indicate that a young, beautiful, political wife such as yourself would even the odds astronomically." Sam paused slightly gauging Donna reaction. She was starting to relax and had even put her wine glass back down, both of which Sam considered good signs.  
"You've done polls?" she questioned and Sam nodded.  
"So this isn't a joke. You're serious? And you've even talked to Toby?"  
"Toby, and CJ. They both think its insane but might be just what we need. And I even brought it up with Josh." Sam watched Donna tense slightly as he delivered this last bit of news. He knew that her relationship with Josh had been uncomfortable at best over the last few years but she recovered quickly.  
"So what did the potential VP say?" she asked in a tone that might be interpreted as teasing but Sam detected the venom beneath her words.  
"There was some yelling cursing and I think he yelled 'over my dead body' at least three times, but he's stopped throwing things at me when I enter the room. So that's a good sign." Sam smiled at Donna but when she didn't return it he decided that now was as good of a time as any to drop another bomb.  
"He and Amy are separated. They'd have already divorced except for the kids." Sam tensed waiting for her response.  
"What I am supposed to say Sam? They can stay married or move to two separate countries for all I care." Donna responded in a weary tone that suggested that she did care.  
"So you think you could become president with me as your wife but not without me?" Donna asked steering the conversation back to their previous topic.  
"We would be the perfect couple Donna. Or at least appear to be. But I beginning to think this is insanity and we should forget about it." Sam said softly. Donna took a deep breath and her last gulp of wine and reached her hand out to Sam.  
"No, lets do it." Donna answered searching his face with her eyes.  
"I've given up on love and at least this way I can help your career." she finished.  
"Well that's not the most romantic way to accept, but this isn't the most romantic proposal ever either." Sam smiled. "You mean it?" he questioned. Donna smiled impishly and squeezed his hand.  
"This is just so crazy it might be genius. I mean it will be a sham but a brillient one. We only have to pretend to be the perfect couple, right?" She answered.  
"Exactly. But we have a lot to do. Tell our parents, make announcements, and plan a wedding. Not to mention all of the campaigning." Donna simply looked overwhelmed so Sam continued.  
"I think we have to have a big wedding. If we were really getting married we'd want it big, right? I mean neither of us has ever been married so sneaking off to the justice of the peace would look funny."  
"Everything is about the pubic eye now isn't it? If this is going to work we have to charm the public and appear completely in love." Donna answered.  
"Will you meet me for lunch tomorrow? We can go buy a ring." He smiled lopsidedly.  
"We should go visit my parents this weekend." Donna stated.  
"Exactly what I was thinking." Sam responded.  
"If we can convince them we might have a shot." Donna said pragmatically.  
"There's something we need to do before lunch tomorrow." Sam suggested tentatively.  
"If we don't go tell Josh we might have to find a new VP after his head spins around and explodes." Sam tried to soften the situation with humor and Donna smiled slightly.  
"I'd better do it alone." She responded determinedly. When Sam tried to disagree with her she held up her hand and silenced him.  
"If I go alone, there will be yelling but no flying objects." She smiled slightly.  
"You're sure?" Sam asked.  
"I'm not a love stuck twenty something anymore. I can do it." Donna replied assuredly.  
"So how does two months sound for the wedding? And two weeks for the engagement party?" Sam asked.  
"Is that enough time?" queried Donna.  
"It will have to be." Sam answered. "I'll call you tomorrow and we can decide on a place to eat. Somewhere noticeable where we can show off our newfound love and enormous wedding ring." Sam said as he got to his feet. Donna stood with him and he moved in to kiss her on the cheek but at the last moment changed his mind. If they were going to pull this off kissing would be the least of their worries. He leaned in and kissed her softly and chastely on the mouth.  
"Good night, crazy man." Donna smiled at him.  
"Good night the future Mrs. Sam Seaborn." He answered rakishly.  
With one last smile Donna closed the door on Sam and threw herself onto her couch. If you had told her two hours ago that she would agree to marry of all people Sam Seaborn she would have laughed, she thought to herself. And Donna lay on the couch in a slightly wine induced stupor until she finally drifted off to sleep. 


	2. Lots of yelling but no flying objects

Chapter 2

Lots of yelling but no flying objects  
  
Josh Lyman was having one of those days that made him incredibly happy that he would soon be leaving his nice job as a lawyer in the private sector to campaign. Everything seemed to be going wrong and the petty case he was working on was driving him up the wall. But even the thought of leaving shortly afforded him little joy, as it was one of the reasons his wife, Amy, was leaving him. Instead of being supportive of his new path she had balked completely and finally ended an already crumbling marriage. She then moved out of their house, taking their five and six year old daughters with her.  
So it would suffice to say that Josh was feeling irritable when his secretary, Kate, poked her head into his office.  
"You have a visitor, Mr. Lyman." She announced politely.  
"Tell them to go away and not come back!" Josh answered.  
"Well, if that's how you really feel, I suppose I could leave." Donna Moss quipped standing in Josh's open doorway. Josh's stomach leapt. She look just as beautiful as she had the last time he'd seen her, and that had been so long that he wasn't even sure he knew anymore. Josh moved to the doorway intending to give her a hug but something chilly in her demeanor stopped him. Instead he held out his hand, feeling foolish.  
"Of course I don't want you to leave." he responded. He was annoyed at the discomfort he felt; normally he made people uneasy, not the other way around.  
"It's just been a long day." Josh smiled slightly.  
Donna ignored his outstretched hand and instead moved to embrace him.  
"It's good to see you." Donna told him as she moved out of his arms.  
"I can't say I'm not surprised to see you." Josh responded sitting on the outer edge of his desk and offering Donna the chair opposite him. "So to what do I owe this honor?" Josh asked, somewhat awkwardly.  
"To Sam actually, and me. We're getting married." Donna announced coolly but not without a degree of hesitation. And then she started counting in her head. 3...2...1...  
"You and Sam are doing what?!" Josh exclaimed right on schedule at such a volume that his secretary appeared and closed his door.  
"We're getting married in two months. Don't act surprised, I know Sam ran this past you."  
"Running it past me is different that finding out that you are cracked enough to accept! Plus, I thought I talked him out of it." Josh answered, still in a much louder voice than normal  
"Does your version of talking him out of it involve throwing things at his head? Because that really didn't do the trick." Donna smiled slightly.  
"Don't screw around with me. Do you really hate me this much?" Josh questioned, now so soft that Donna had to strain to hear.  
"Damn it, Josh! This has nothing to do with you! Do you really think I'd marry Sam out of spite?" Donna asked, now finding her voice rising along with her temper.  
"Not anymore than I thought you'd do something as shallow as marring Sam to be First Lady." Josh fired off angrily.  
"That's not fair. I'm not marrying him so I can be First Lady. I'm marrying him so he can be President!" Donna was quickly loosing her calm. She started to wonder if she should have brought Sam with her. At least that way Josh could take turns yelling at them. This way she had to handle all of it herself.  
"Amy and I are getting a divorce. Did Sam even bother to tell you that?" Josh finally stated wearily as he sat back down on his desk.  
"Yes, but it doesn't change anything. Really, what do you want me to say? I am sorry about your marriage." Donna responded. "But I can't magically make everything better. And I'm going to marry Sam."  
Before Josh had the chance to respond, Donna was on her feet and on her way to the door.  
"Sam and I are meeting Toby and CJ and everyone for dinner tonight. Have your secretary call my secretary." Donna stated and then made her way out the door before waiting for an answer, but then her changed her mind and stopped in the doorway.  
"Oh and before I forget, Sam wants you to be best man at our wedding." And with that Donna vanished.  
Josh collapsed at his desk speechless over what had just happened. In just over ten minutes his day had gone from bad to worse.  
"Kate!" Josh bellowed. His secretary came hesitantly into his office.  
"Call Donna Moss's office and find out when I'm supposed to meet her for dinner."


	3. Several Public Displays

Chapter 3

Several Public Displays

"Don't worry Donna," Sam assured a nervous Donna as they walked from their cab to the restaurant later that night. "Everyone we are meeting tonight knows the truth. This is just a chance to talk strategy and see if this will even work. And if possible see if pictures of us cuddling land in the tabloids tomorrow. Plus we have this enormous ring to show off." Sam said, picking up her hand as he finished with a wink.

"You want pictures in the tabloids do you?" Donna questioned playfully as she stopped and pulled Sam close to her.

"Is this cuddly enough for you?" Donna put her arms around Sam's neck and whispered in his ear.

"Pretty good for starters, but I think we can do better." Sam answered. He wrapped his arms around her waist and moved his head closer until it was just inches from hers.

"Will they two of you cut that out before people start throwing money at you?" the annoyed voice of Josh Lyman broke into their moment of closeness. Sam moved away from Donna slightly but picked up her left hand protectively.

"Great to see you Josh. Thanks for coming." Sam said warmly giving Donna's cold hand a reassuring squeeze.

"I wasn't sure you'd even come." Donna declared, not meeting Josh's eyes.

"It's not like you gave me a chance to accept before you ran out of my office." Josh responded. He tried to catch Donna gaze but she continually averted her eyes. When Donna didn't respond, Josh continued.

"So the two of you really are serious about this?" Josh questioned.

"I told you we are." Donna responded cagily.

"This is just more stupid that I'd expect from the two of you." Josh threw out slightly bitterly. Donna flinched notably at his tone and pulled closer to Sam instinctively.

"Donna, will you go inside? We'll meet you in a moment." Sam asked Donna but didn't look away from Josh in a measuring way. Sam was regretting not backing up Donna earlier that day and new that he now needed fight his half of this battle.

"Seriously, guys, don't make this into some big macho thing." Donna glanced between the two men and after leaning in to give Sam a kiss that was calculated to make Josh slightly mad but not homicidal she went into the restaurant.

"So what the hell is this Sam?" Josh exploded once Donna was out of hearing range. "Defrauding the American public, making a mockery out of the sanctity of marriage, screwing me over majorly?"

"We're not defrauding anyone. Donna and I really want to get married. Josh, I'm not young anymore; I've given up hope of meeting the perfect person and falling head over heals and so has Donna. But she is as close to perfect as anyone I know and if I can't make it work with her I can't make it work with anyone." Sam answered coolly trying to smooth over Josh's temper, but Josh would have none of it.

"But your not in love! Isn't that what marriage is supposed to be about? Or has everyone except me forgotten that?" Josh blasted at Sam.

"Josh, maybe you aren't the right person to be scolding me for marrying someone I'm not in love with!" Sam retorted.

"Excuse me?"

"Josh, we all thought that you and Donna had been in love for almost 8 years and as soon Barlet was out of office you would make your move. Well you did make a move but it wasn't the one we expected. You asked Amy to marry you damn it! You finally could have had Donna and instead you broke her heart. So think about that before you give me advise about love!" Sam finished strongly.

"You think I broke her heart?" Josh asked, startled.

"If that's really what you think happened, you need to have a talk with the future Mrs. Sam Seaborn." Josh finished.

"Josh..." Sam started but Josh cut him off quickly.

"Yeah, a heart was trampled but it was mine, not hers." Josh answered but after a long pause Sam didn't respond so he continued.

"I'm sick of everyone thinking all these years that I led her on and abused her. You, CJ, Toby, even the Bartlett's all think I screwed her over. I'm not going to say I'm completely innocent, but you need to talk to her about it."

"So what, Josh, are you out?" Sam asked.

"Of the campaign? No, I'm still in. And as long as I don't have to like you and Donna together, if you truly decide to go through with it I'll back you. I mean, I won't be happy, but I'll be there." Josh finished. Sam genuinely smiled at Josh for the first time that night.

"Thanks, man." He said patting Josh on the arm. The small crowd that had started to gather at the height of their confrontation had since dissipated. Somehow Sam was more pleased than he had expected to be with the way the discussion had gone. For one thing they have made it through without throwing punches, which at one point had been a strong possibility. Without another word the two men turned and entered the restaurant where at the very least, a very interesting meal was waiting for them.


	4. Airplanes and Broken Hearts

Chapter 4

Airplanes and Broken Hearts

Sam and Donna were on an airplane on the way to see Donna's parents and tell them about their engagement. For once in the last few days they were both perfectly quiet, absorbed in their own thoughts. Sam's thoughts were painful. He needed to ask Donna about what Josh had told him but he wasn't sure an airplane was really the place to have that particular conversation. Sam was partially relieved however, because the dinner the other night before hadn't been nearly the catastrophe that he had imagined. Josh had been on best behavior and between the banter of Toby, Will, and CJ, the silence of both Josh and Donna was almost unnoticeable.

One result of the night that Sam hadn't totally expected was that pictures did land in the tabloids. But they weren't the kind of pictures he would have expected. Instead of cutesy, cuddly pictures of Donna and Sam, they were a series of tense pictures of Sam, Donna, and Josh outside of the restaurant, with Josh giving Donna a longing look and Sam looking oblivious. "Possible Presidential Love Triangle" seemed to be the most popular headline.

Sam sighed and glanced around the cabin that was relatively deserted except for an old couple a few rows back and the agents posted across the isle. He decided that an airplane might not be the best place for a personal conversation, but he wasn't going to get a better chance anytime soon.

"Donna?" he questioned softly and she turned in her seat to face him.

"I need to ask you what happened with you and Josh all those years ago." When Donna pulled away slightly he continued. "If we are seriously going to do this it's something that I need to know.

"What did Josh tell you?" Donna questioned.

"Just that it's something you need to tell me."

"Sam, this isn't easy." She responded softly. He didn't answer but put a hand reassuringly on her leg and gave it a slight squeeze.

"You know that Josh started dating Amy again in the final year of the Bartlet Administration, right?" When Sam nodded the affirmative she continued.

"I was as surprised as anyone. I never thought he was serious about Amy. So two days after Bartlet was out of office I went to see Josh. I told him I loved him. And he looked at me for a long moment with the saddest eyes imaginable and told me that he had just proposed to Amy and they were getting married. So I wished him the best and left. What else could I do? So I pretended that nothing happened." Sam tried to interrupt her but once again Donna silenced him and continued.

"Do you remember when you found me crying outside Josh's rehearsal dinner? That was the worst night of all. I went outside to be alone. Josh found me, and kissed me and told me he loved me. And for a moment, I was so happy. All I'd ever wanted was him. But I couldn't do it, Sam! He was getting married teh next day. I couldn't do that to Amy and all of their friends and relatives. I'm not that woman!" Donna's voice rose in pitch and broke slightly so she glanced around the plane to make sure she wasn't causing a public spectacle.

"So I lied. I told him that I didn't love him and never had. I said I was confused and never meant it. Sam, the look in his eyes, it almost killed me. It was like I'd just ripped his heart out of his chest. But he married her. I never understood how he could marry her." She finished so softly that he had to strain to hear her.

"Donna, oh sweetheart." Sam whispered gently as he watched tears slide from her eyes. He put his arm around her and pulled her close. He wised that he'd known. He had always known that something had transpired at the rehearsal dinner but he assumed that the two of them simply acknowledged their mutual attracting and let it go. Donna had never told him and he had never pushed.

"Donna, for the first time, he tried to do what he thought you wanted." Sam finally said.

"Don't try to excuse him!" Donna responded.

"I'm not." Sam said. "I'm sorry." He finished after a long pause.

"Donna, where did you find the willpower to go to the wedding after that?" Sam questioned.

"I knew that if I didn't go, Amy would have known that something happened between Josh and me. And as much as I disliked her, I couldn't do that to her. Hey, Sam, you were the reason I made it through that wedding. You were there for me from Amy walking down the isle, to getting me drunk on champagne at the reception. Hell, you even got me out of dancing with Josh." Donna said smiling through her tears.

"I'm sorry Donna."

"Don't be sorry. I couldn't have asked for anything more. You're always there when I need you." Donna whispered softly. Sam saw the tears shining in her blue eyes and was suddenly struck by how beautiful she was. She leaned towards him and softly touched her mouth to his. Sam was overwhelmed by the amazing sensation of kissing Donna but he pulled back and cupped her face in his hands.

"Not like this." He simply told her. Then he pulled her gently so her head rested snugly on his shoulder. He felt her body relax and her breathing slow and in a matter of minutes he knew she was sleeping. Suddenly Sam saw the extreme beauty and fragility of the woman asleep on his shoulder. And for the first time he wondered if what he was asking of her was too much.


End file.
